Social media systems and methods and mobile devices therefor

ABSTRACT

Methods, systems, and mobile devices for providing users with social media-related information about other users based on the relative geographic locations of the users.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/989,713, filed Oct. 10, 2020, entitled “SocialMedia Systems and Methods and Mobile Devices Therefor,” which is acontinuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/696,803,filed Sep. 6, 2017, entitled “Social Media Systems and Methods andMobile Devices Therefor,” each of which are incorporated by referenceherein in their entirety. This application also claims the benefit ofpriority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/383,813,filed Sep. 6, 2016, entitled “Social Media Systems and Method,” whichapplication is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/989,348, filed on Aug. 10, 2020, entitled “Social Media Systems andMethods and Mobile Devices Therefor.”

BACKGROUND

The present invention generally relates to social media platforms,systems, and methods. The invention particularly relates to a systemutilizing handheld electronic mobile devices and application software(app) running thereon to enable a user thereof to initiate directperson-to-person communications and social interactions with other userswho are physically or virtually located within the physical vicinity ofthe initiating user, but with whom the initiating user may beunacquainted.

Various social media tools, such as websites and mobile apps, areavailable that provide users with the capability of exchanginginformation, particularly user generated content such as text, digitalphoto, or digital video posts. An example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.9,743,244 to Crutchfield. Commonly, such tools allow users to createtheir own profiles, which is included in an online social network thatconnects the user's profile with those of other individuals and/orgroups. Such tools generally promote interactions between the userswithin the network, such as commenting on other user's content, joiningvirtual groups, and the like. While these capabilities are beneficialfor users to remain in contact with other users that they are alreadyacquainted with, the tools may be limited in their ability to connectand exchange information between users that are strangers or otherwisenot yet socially acquainted. A such, it would be desirable if a systemwere available for selectively providing a user with socialmedia-related information about other users with whom they areunacquainted to promote direct person-to-person communications andsocial interactions.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention provides methods and systems suitable forselectively providing a user with social media-related information aboutother users based on the geographic location of the user relative to theother users.

In one implementation, a method of interacting in a social mediaenvironment is provided. The method includes receiving from a first userof a social media platform an indication of a first geographic locationfor pinning a virtual object, such first geographic location beingselected by the first user via a first user interface displayed to thefirst user on a first mobile device; displaying the virtual object to asecond user of a second mobile device when the second user is physicallylocated proximate the first geographic location, said displaying beingvia an augmented reality user interface that includes a display of theproximity of the first geographic location and a display of the virtualobject, the display of the proximity of the first geographic locationobtained via a camera element of the second mobile device; receivingfrom the second user a selection of the virtual object via the augmentedreality user interface, wherein at the time of the selection the firstuser is not physically located proximate the first geographic location;and initiating a direct person-to-person communication between the firstand second users in response to the selection.

In another implementation, a method of interacting in a social mediaenvironment is provided. The method includes receiving from a first userof a social media platform an indication of a first geographic locationfor pinning a virtual object, such first geographic location beingselected by the first user via a first user interface displayed to thefirst user on a first mobile device; displaying the virtual object to asecond user of a second mobile device when the second user is physicallylocated proximate the first geographic location, said displaying beingvia an augmented reality user interface that includes a display of theproximity of the first geographic location and a display of the virtualobject, the display of the proximity of the first geographic locationobtained via a camera element of the second mobile device, wherein thevirtual object includes an image of the first user superimposed upon thedisplay of the proximity of the first geographic location such that theimage of the first user is overlaid in the real world captured by thecamera element; receiving from the second user a selection of thevirtual object via the augmented reality user interface, wherein at thetime of the selection the first user is not physically located proximatethe first geographic location; and initiating a direct person-to-personcommunication between the first and second users in response to theselection.

In yet another implementation, a method of interacting in a social mediaenvironment is provided. The method includes receiving from a first userof a social media platform an indication of a first geographic locationfor pinning a virtual object, such first geographic location beingselected by the first user via a first user interface displayed to thefirst user on a first mobile device; displaying the virtual object to asecond user of a second mobile device when the second user is physicallylocated proximate the first geographic location, said displaying beingvia an augmented reality user interface that includes a display of theproximity of the first geographic location and a display of the virtualobject, the display of the proximity of the first geographic locationobtained via a camera element of the second mobile device, wherein thevirtual object includes an image of the first user superimposed upon thedisplay of the proximity of the first geographic location such that theimage of the first user is overlaid in the real world captured by thecamera element; receiving from the second user a selection of thevirtual object via the augmented reality user interface, wherein at thetime of the selection the first user is not physically located proximatethe first geographic location; displaying a user content information ofthe first user to the second user via the second mobile device inresponse to receiving the selection of the virtual object; andinitiating a direct person-to-person communication between the first andsecond users in response to the selection.

According to one aspect of the invention, a social media system andmethod are provided that include the use of mobile devices to providethe capability for a plurality of individuals to communicate through alocation-based augmented reality feature of an app that is stored andoperating on the mobile devices.

Another aspect of the invention is a mobile device on which the app andits location-based augmented reality feature are stored and operating asdescribed above.

Still another aspect of the invention includes providing for a firstuser of a social media system to pin user content to a specificgeographic location using a location-based augmented reality feature ofan app that is stored and operating on a mobile device of the firstuser, and allowing a second user of the social media system to accessthe user content through the location-based augmented reality feature ofthe app that is also stored and operating on a mobile device of thesecond user.

Yet another aspect of the invention includes identifying a first user ofa social media system with a location-based augmented reality feature ofan app that is stored and operating on a mobile device of a second userof the social media system, and then with the app providing the seconduser access to user content created by the first user.

Technical effects of the methods and systems described above preferablyinclude the capability of a first individual to quickly access limiteduser content about another individual who is physically or virtuallylocated within the physical vicinity of the first individual's presentgeographic location, thereby promoting direct person-to-personcommunications and social interactions between individuals.

Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be furtherappreciated from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed incolor. Copies of this patent or patent application publication withcolor drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and paymentof the necessary fee.

FIG. 1 represents a main menu displayed on a display of a handheldelectronic mobile device (cellular phone) by a computer applicationsoftware (app) operating on the mobile device, wherein various featuresof the app are displayed on the mobile device in accordance with anonlimiting embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 represents user content created by a user of the app anddisplayed on the mobile device of FIG. 1 in accordance with anonlimiting embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 represents the display of the mobile device of FIG. 1 showing animage “pinned” to a geographic location by a user of the app andviewable by other users of the app via a location-based augmentedreality feature of the app that overlays the pinned image onto an imageof the geographical location captured by a camera of the mobile devicein accordance with a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 represents the display of the mobile device of FIG. 1 showinguser content provided by a user of the app that becomes accessible byother users of the app upon viewing the image of FIG. 3 with thelocation-based augmented reality feature. Viewers can rate the image.

FIG. 5 represents the display of the mobile device of FIG. 1 showing animage provided by a user of the app and relating to a past socialgathering, pinned to a geographic location by the user, and viewable byother users of the app via a location-based augmented reality featurethat overlays the pinned image onto an image of the geographicallocation captured by a camera of the mobile device in accordance with anonlimiting embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 represents the display of the mobile device of FIG. 1 showinguser content provided by a user of the app that becomes accessible byother users of the app upon viewing the image of FIG. 5 with thelocation-based augmented reality feature. Viewers can comment and/orrate the image.

FIG. 7 represents the display of the mobile device of FIG. 1 showing animage captured by a camera of the mobile device, in which users of theapp are identified with the location-based augmented reality feature inaccordance with a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 8 through 14 represent the display of the mobile device of FIG. 1showing steps that may be taken by a user to create “My C-Code” usercontent in accordance with a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 through 14 represent images displayed on a display of a handheldelectronic mobile device (in the example, a cellular phone) by acomputer application software (“app”) operating on the mobile device. Asused herein, the term “mobile device” refers to any handheld electronicdevice capable of wirelessly communicating across a mobile network. Forthis purpose, such a mobile device will typically comprise volatile andnonvolatile (non transitory) memory (processor readable media), aprocessor for executing processor executable instructions stored on thenonvolatile memory, an input device, a display, a camera, a locationdevice, and a transceiver, and have the ability to generate an output,transmit the output to the mobile network via the transceiver, andreceive signals from the mobile network via the transceiver. Currentexamples of mobile devices include, but are not limited to, cellulartelephones, smart phones, tablets, personal digital assistants (PDAs),portable computers, etc. Processors, memory, transceivers, inputdevices, displays, cameras, and location devices capable of use inmobiles devices encompass a wide variety of electronic devices known inthe art as well as those yet to be developed. Memory used in mobiledevices of interest serve to store apps, operating systems, software,and/or logic, including the app operating on the mobile devicerepresented in FIGS. 1 through 14. In this regard, processor executableinstructions of the app are stored in the nonvolatile memory of themobile device so that, when executed by a processor, the mobile deviceperforms operations described below in reference to FIGS. 1 through 14.Input devices used in mobile devices of interest typically comprise aphysical or screen-generated keyboard. Location devices commonly foundin mobile devices of interest are typically GPS (Global PositioningSystem) receivers, though other geolocation technologies areforeseeable. Transceivers used in mobile devices of interest include butare not limited to cellular, GPRS, Bluetooth, and Wi Fi transceivers.

The mobile device represented in FIGS. 1 through 14 utilizes itstransceiver to communicate with a mobile network, which in combinationwith the app operating on the mobile device provide or otherwise performas a social media tool (hereinafter, “tool”) configured to promote thecommunication and exchange of information between multiple users of theapp based on their actual physical locations (“user locations”) asestablished by the geographic locations of the mobile devices of theusers, or their virtual locations (“pinned locations,” as describedherein below), both of which can be detected by cameras and locationdevices associated with their mobile devices. Although the tool isdescribed here in reference to certain images displayed by the appoperating on a cellular phone as shown in the drawings, it should beunderstood that the tool and its app may display additional or otherimages and thereby have additional or other visual appearances.Furthermore, the tool may utilize additional devices and their features,such as but not limited to servers, databases, wireless communicationdevices, GPS location device, etc., within the mobile network.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, the tool allows eachof its user to generate user-generated content (“user content”) thatincludes, but is not limited to, a personal profile containing limitedpersonal information about themselves. Such user content may then beselectively accessible (based on privacy settings set by the user) byother users of the tool via a location-based augmented reality featureof the app, but only when the other users are within the physicalvicinity (geographic area) of the user location of the user that createdthe user content, and/or within the physical vicinity (geographic area)of a pinned location that the user that created the user content hasassociated with their user content. As used herein, a pinned locationmeans a geographic location that has been selected by the user and towhich an image has been “pinned” by the user as a virtual object(hereinafter, “pinned image”), such that the user is present as avirtual object at the pinned location, but is not physically present atthe pinned location. In this manner, the tool provides a social mediaplatform by which direct person-to-person communications and socialinteractions can be initiated by a user (hereinafter, “initiating user”)of the system with another user (hereinafter, “recipient user”) of thesystem, but only if the initiating user is within the physical vicinityof the geographic location of the user location of the recipient user,and/or the pinned location of a pinned image of the recipient user.Conversely, such communications and interactions can only be initiatedbetween the initiating user and a recipient user if the user location ofthe recipient user and/or a pinned location of the recipient user iswithin the physical vicinity of the geographic location of theinitiating user. Detection of the recipient user or a pinned image ofthe recipient user can be performed with the camera of the initiatinguser's mobile device, operating in combination with the location-basedaugmented reality feature of the app to indicate the physical presenceof the recipient user or virtual presence (via a pinned image) of therecipient user. The process of discovering potential recipient users isinitiated by the initiating user scanning their surroundings with thecamera of their mobile device. If a pinned image is detected with thecamera, the location-based augmented reality feature displays the pinnedimage of the recipient user on the display of the mobile device of theinitiating user, with the pinned image being overlaid on the image ofthe real world captured by the camera. If an individual that appears inthe scan of the camera is a user of the tool (i.e., a recipient user),the location-based augmented reality feature displays a suitablenotification on the display of the mobile device of the initiating user,for example, a dot or other icon that appears above the head of therecipient user. The initiating user effectively initiates communicationsand interactions with the recipient user by then using the app to accessthe user content of the recipient user, for example, by clicking on anicon that the app associates with the recipient user and is shown on thedisplay of the initiating user's mobile device, as nonlimiting examples,the pinned image if the recipient user is virtually present or an iconappearing above the head of the recipient user if the recipient user isphysically present. Notably, the initiating user is not required to beacquainted with the receipt user in order to access the recipient user'suser content. On the other hand, the tool does not provide anynotifications regarding individuals that are not users of the tool, inwhich case there is no user content to be accessed. Furthermore, theprivacy settings of the tool set by users enable any user to choose tobe completely undetectable by the tool or choose to partially orcompletely block access to their user content by individuals oreveryone, as may be appropriate under certain social circumstances.Furthermore, the app preferably enables all users to select the distanceover which they may (as an initiating user) detect other users and overwhich other users may detect them (as a recipient user).

FIG. 1 represents a menu that provides a user with access to variousfeatures of the app. Such features may be generalized to a variety ofusers, or may be directed to a predetermined group of users. Forexample, FIGS. 1 through 14 represent a version of the app that isidentified as “TeepeedU” and generally intended to be of interest tousers who are members of a university, and therefore may be equippedwith certain features that may be particularly relevant to theirinterests. As nonlimiting examples, the menu in FIG. 1 includes featureslabeled as “Spot Selfie,” “Chill'n Post,” “Me,” “Carnac,” “FlashAntics,” and “Rate a Party.” The app may be equipped with additionalfeatures, for example, a “Safety” feature by which a user can sendmessages to friends, such as a request for a friend to meet or accompanythem, in which case the app enables the other users to track thephysical location of the user in response to receiving the message andthe user can alert the other users in the case of an emergency. As withapps and touch-screen displays commonly associated with mobile devices,these features preferably appear as icons or buttons (hereinafter,buttons) on the display and a user selects or activates a feature, forexample, by pressing, touching or swiping its corresponding button,causing a different image (“screen”) to be displayed (opened) on thedisplay of the mobile device.

FIGS. 2 through 14 provide nonlimiting examples of screens displayed byaccessing the features of the tool represented in FIG. 1, or otherwiseaccessing a location-based augmented reality feature of the tool.

FIG. 2 represents the “Me” feature with which a user creates a personalprofile as part of the user's user content stored in the memory of theirmobile device. The screen displayed in FIG. 2 is indicative of what maybe shown on the display of the mobile device of the user that createdthe personal profile, and represents the type of user content that theuser (as a recipient user) may allow other users (initiating users) toaccess, depending on the privacy settings chosen by the recipient user.In a particular nonlimiting embodiment, the “Me” feature shows therecipient user's username if they are not acquainted with the initiatinguser, and shows the recipient user's real name if the recipient user hasalready included the initiating user in their group of friends on theapp. From this screen, the initiating user can send a friend request tothe recipient user. The recipient user can then accept or refuse thefriend request after reviewing the user content of the initiating user.

FIG. 3 represents the “Spot Selfie” feature which allows a user tocreate a pinned image from an image of themself, which the user can thenpin to a geographic location using the location-based augmented realityfeature of the tool, thereby creating a pinned location so that thepinned image can be accessed by other users in the physical vicinity ofthe pinned location. The screen displayed in FIG. 3 is indicative ofwhat may be shown on the display of the mobile device of an initiatinguser that has used their camera to scan the pinned location, and showsthe pinned image overlaid on an image of the real world captured by thecamera. The displayed pinned image constitutes what a recipient user mayallow other users (initiating users) to see, depending on the privacysettings chosen by the recipient user. As with FIG. 2, the recipientuser's real name or username is shown depending on whether they arealready friends with the initiating user.

FIG. 4 represents additional information as part of a recipient user'suser content that can be accessed by other users (initiating users)after acquiring the pinned image of FIG. 3 on their mobile devices. Thescreen displayed in FIG. 4 is indicative of the user content of arecipient user that created the pinned image seen in FIG. 3 (and isvisible in the upper lefthand corner of FIG. 4), and that the recipientuser may allow other users (initiating users) to see, depending on theprivacy settings chosen by the recipient user. Optionally, initiatingusers are able to rate and/or comment on the pinned image. As with FIGS.2 and 3, the recipient user's real name or username is shown dependingon whether they are already friends with the initiating user, and mayaccept or refuse a friend request of the initiating user after reviewingthe user content of the initiating user.

FIG. 5 represents the “Chill'n Post” feature which allows a user tocreate a pinned image from an image of a past or present socialgathering, which the user can then pin to a geographic location usingthe location-based augmented reality feature of the tool, therebycreating a pinned location so that the pinned image can be accessed byother users in the physical vicinity of the pinned location. The screendisplayed in FIG. 5 is indicative of what may be shown on the display ofthe mobile device of an initiating user that has used their camera toscan the pinned location, and shows the pinned image overlaid on animage of the real world captured by the camera. The displayed pinnedimage constitutes what a recipient user may allow other users(initiating users) to see, depending on the privacy settings chosen bythe recipient user. As with FIGS. 2 through 4, the recipient user's realname or username is shown depending on whether they are already friendswith the initiating user, and may accept or refuse a friend request ofthe initiating user after reviewing the user content of the initiatinguser.

FIG. 6 represents additional information as part of a recipient user'suser content that can be accessed by other users (initiating users)after acquiring the pinned image of FIG. 5 on their mobile devices. Thescreen displayed in FIG. 6 is indicative of the user content of arecipient user that created the pinned image of FIG. 5 (and also visiblein FIG. 6), and that the recipient user may allow other users(initiating users) to see, depending on the privacy settings chosen bythe recipient user. Optionally, initiating users are able to rate and/orcomment on the pinned image. As before, the recipient user's real nameor username is shown depending on whether they are already friends withthe initiating user, and may accept or refuse a friend request of theinitiating user after reviewing the user content of the initiating user.

The “Carnac” feature is similar to the “Spot Selfie” and “Chill'n Post”features, except that by scanning a geographic area with the camera oftheir mobile device, an initiating user is able to detect the actualphysical presence of other users of the app. As previously noted, thelocation-based augmented reality feature of the app indicates thepresence of other users of the app on the display of the initiatinguser's mobile device, for example, as a result of the location-basedaugmented reality feature displaying a notification, such as profilepictures of the other users as shown in FIG. 7, though other means ofnotification are also within the scope of the invention. Whether anotification of a particular recipient user appears on the display of aninitiating user will depend on the privacy settings chosen by thatrecipient user. Thereafter, the initiating user can use their mobiledevice to access the recipient user's user content, for example, bytapping on the profile picture of the user(s) of interest to theinitiating user.

The pinned images and user content displayed and represented in FIGS. 2through 7 may be stored locally in the memory of the recipient user'smobile device, stored remotely on a server of the mobile network, or acombination of both.

As evident from the above, the above features of the tool allowinitiating users to access the user content of recipient users with thelocation-based augmented reality feature of the tool. In FIG. 3, animage of a user is superimposed over a physical, real world environmentas viewed through an imaging device (for example, a camera) on anotheruser's cellular (smart) phone (or other handheld electronic mobiledevice). Similarly, in FIG. 5 an image of a group of individuals issuperimposed over a physical location near where the image wasoriginally generated, as viewed by another user at a later time. In eachcase, the user has pinned the images to their respective geographiclocations, which are stored and identifiable on the basis of theirunique geographic (e.g., GPS) coordinates as detected by the locationdevice (e.g., GPS receiver) of the user's mobile device. Preferably, auser may access information about a second user by viewing the seconduser through a display of the first user's mobile device. If the seconduser has a mobile device running the app, the first user may be providedaccess to the second user's information as a result of the augmentedreality feature displaying a pinned image of the second user on thefirst user's mobile device.

Since various features of the app (for example, the Spot Selfie andChill'n Post features) provide for pinning an image or other usercontent (collectively, “pinned user content”) accessible by other usersin a geographic location, the app provides means for users (initiatingusers) to locate pinned user content of other users (recipient users).For example, the app may include means for identifying on a map thespecific geographic location of all available user content that has beenpinned and/or specific filtered user content. As a nonlimiting but morespecific example, the app may provide a search (radar) feature thatpresents a map to an initiating user with locations of pinned usercontent of potential recipient users highlighted on the map, forexample, using the GPS coordinates of the pinned user content, relativeto the location of the initiating user (for example, over an areaencompassing a predetermined distance around the initiating user, as setby the initiating user). The search feature may include filter optionsto limit the highlighted user content, for example, based on distance orcategory/type of user content. For example, the app may include filteroptions including “hanging out” which includes only pinned user contentthat is relatively near the physical location of the initiating user,“walking around” which includes a larger geographic area than “hangingout,” and “stadium” which includes all available pinned user contentregardless of location.

Referring again to FIG. 2, a recipient user's information displayed onan initiating user's mobile device may include a visual display (labeledas “Me”) that is representative of the recipient user's personality,preferences, or other information. Preferably, the visual displayincludes what is identified in FIG. 2 as a “My C-Code,” comprising agrid of various colors with each color representing a trait, preference,intention, etc. of the recipient user. As such, the colors of the visualdisplay may be unique to the individual recipient user. As a nonlimitingexample, the visual display may be generated as a result of therecipient user having previously answered a series of questions, suchthat each color in the grid corresponds to one of the questions, and theshade of each color indicates the answer given by the recipient user tothe corresponding question. Preferably, the visual display is accessibleby other users (initiating users) in order to provide a quick summary ofthe recipient user's traits, preferences, intentions, etc. Additionalnonlimiting information regarding steps taken by a user to create theirMy C-Code is provided in FIGS. 8 through 14.

Finally, the app may provide additional features such as theaforementioned “Safety,” “Flash Antics,” and “Rate a Party” features. Asan example, the Flash Antics feature may provide means by which aplurality of users in a vicinity of a geographic location are able tovote on an activity to be performed by the users at the geographiclocation, and the Rate a Party feature may provide means for labeling ageographic location where a social gathering is currently occurring, andrate the social gathering for viewing by other users.

In view of the above, the app provides various functions for selectivelyproviding an initiating user with social media-related information aboutother users with whom they may or may not be acquainted and who are intheir physical vicinity in order to promote direct person-to-personcommunications and social interactions. For example, in the case of twousers that are within a sufficiently small geographic area that enablesa first of the users to see the other, the first user may decide theywould like to know more about the second user. The first user may then,in the role of the initiating user, use the app in an attempt to accessinformation about the other user, who is now in the role of a recipientuser. Because the other person is also a user with user content thatincludes a personal profile that they created in the app, the initiatinguser may be provided with information about the recipient user containedin the personal profile of the recipient user. The information availableto the initiating user can be limited or even prevented by the recipientuser's privacy settings. For example, as represented in FIG. 2, theinitiating user may be provided access to information such as therecipient user's name, picture, interests, hobbies, etc., as part oftheir personal profile. As shown in FIG. 2, the initiating user isprovided with the recipient user's My C-Code, and by interpreting thecolors within the My C-Code, will be informed of the recipient user'sgeneral personality, interests, etc. Such information is intended toinform users of whether other users within their vicinity share commoninterests, and to otherwise promote direct person-to-personcommunications and social interactions. The app can also enable aninitiating user to search other users (for example, those displayed withthe Carnac feature) based on a percentage match to the initiating user'sMy C Code as calculated by the app. Such a capability can generate alist of users that can then be reviewed by the initiating user, who canthen send a friend request to those users with whom the initiating userwishes to become friends.

In addition to promoting direct person-to-person communications andsocial interactions between unacquainted individuals, the personalinformation and location of the users provides a mutually beneficialmarketing opportunity. In particular, the app preferably is capable ofidentifying businesses, products, events, etc., that may be relevant toan individual user based on the user's personality, interests,activities, etc., as indicated by the contents of their personal profileBased on this information, the app may then provide advertisements tothe user based on the user's preferences and the user's actual (GPS)location. The advertisements are effectively customized customerelectronic billboards, which the app may show as virtual objectsfloating in the augmented reality space displayed by the camera of theuser's mobile device. The user can then tap the billboard to obtain moreinformation about the advertised product. In addition, the app mayprovide feedback regarding the user's response to the advertisements.

While the invention has been described in terms of specific orparticular embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adoptedby one skilled in the art. For example, the tool and its features coulddiffer in appearance and construction from the embodiments describedherein and shown in the drawings, and the tool may operate on devicesother than those described herein. Accordingly, it should be understoodthat the invention is not limited to any embodiment described herein orillustrated in the drawings. It should also be understood that thephraseology and terminology employed above are for the purpose ofdescribing the disclosed embodiments, and do not necessarily serve aslimitations to the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of theinvention is to be limited only by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of interacting in a social mediaenvironment, the method comprising: receiving from a first user of asocial media platform an indication of a first geographic location forpinning a virtual object, such first geographic location being selectedby the first user via a first user interface displayed to the first useron a first mobile device; displaying the virtual object to a second userof a second mobile device when the second user is physically locatedproximate the first geographic location, said displaying being via anaugmented reality user interface that includes a display of theproximity of the first geographic location and a display of the virtualobject, the display of the proximity of the first geographic locationobtained via a camera element of the second mobile device; receivingfrom the second user a selection of the virtual object via the augmentedreality user interface, wherein at the time of the selection the firstuser is not physically located proximate the first geographic location;and initiating a direct person-to-person communication between the firstand second users in response to the selection.
 2. A method according toclaim 1, wherein the first user is physically located proximate thefirst geographic location at the time of receiving from the first userthe indication.
 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first useris not physically located proximate the first geographic location at thetime of receiving from the first user the indication.
 4. A methodaccording to claim 1, further comprising receiving from the first user asetting via the first mobile device wherein the setting includes adistance over which other users may detect the virtual object.
 5. Amethod according to claim 1, further comprising receiving from thesecond user a setting via the second mobile device wherein the settingincludes a distance over which they may detect the virtual object.
 6. Amethod according to claim 1, wherein the virtual object includes animage of the first user.
 7. A method according to claim 1, wherein thevirtual object includes an image of the first user superimposed upon thedisplay of the proximity of the first geographic location.
 8. A methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the virtual object includes an indicationof the username of the first user.
 9. A method according to claim 1,wherein the virtual object includes an indication of the real name ofthe first user.
 10. A method according to claim 1, further comprisingdisplaying a user content information of the first user to the seconduser via the second mobile device in response to accessing the virtualobject.
 11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the first and secondusers are unacquainted.
 12. A method according to claim 1, wherein thefirst and second users are unacquainted when the virtual object isdisplayed to the second user.
 13. A method according to claim 1, furthercomprising receiving from the second user a friend request via a seconduser interface of the second mobile device to add the first user to agroup of friends of the second user.
 14. A method according to claim 1,further comprising providing a third user interface display via thesecond mobile device, the third user interface display including anindication on a map of the presence of other users within apredetermined distance around the second user.
 15. A method according toclaim 14, wherein the third user interface display is filtered toinclude an indication of only other users based on a category and/or atype of the user content associated with a personal profile for thecorresponding user.
 16. A method according to claim 1, furthercomprising providing a third user interface display via the secondmobile device, the third user interface display including an indicationon a map of the presence of other users based on a category and/or atype of the user content associated with a personal profile for thecorresponding user.
 17. A method of interacting in a social mediaenvironment, the method comprising: receiving from a first user of asocial media platform an indication of a first geographic location forpinning a virtual object, such first geographic location being selectedby the first user via a first user interface displayed to the first useron a first mobile device; displaying the virtual object to a second userof a second mobile device when the second user is physically locatedproximate the first geographic location, said displaying being via anaugmented reality user interface that includes a display of theproximity of the first geographic location and a display of the virtualobject, the display of the proximity of the first geographic locationobtained via a camera element of the second mobile device, wherein thevirtual object includes an image of the first user superimposed upon thedisplay of the proximity of the first geographic location such that theimage of the first user is overlaid in the real world captured by thecamera element; receiving from the second user a selection of thevirtual object via the augmented reality user interface, wherein at thetime of the selection the first user is not physically located proximatethe first geographic location; and initiating a direct person-to-personcommunication between the first and second users in response to theselection.
 18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the first user isnot physically located proximate the first geographic location at thetime of receiving from the first user the indication.
 19. A method ofinteracting in a social media environment, the method comprising:receiving from a first user of a social media platform an indication ofa first geographic location for pinning a virtual object, such firstgeographic location being selected by the first user via a first userinterface displayed to the first user on a first mobile device;displaying the virtual object to a second user of a second mobile devicewhen the second user is physically located proximate the firstgeographic location, said displaying being via an augmented reality userinterface that includes a display of the proximity of the firstgeographic location and a display of the virtual object, the display ofthe proximity of the first geographic location obtained via a cameraelement of the second mobile device, wherein the virtual object includesan image of the first user superimposed upon the display of theproximity of the first geographic location such that the image of thefirst user is overlaid in the real world captured by the camera element;receiving from the second user a selection of the virtual object via theaugmented reality user interface, wherein at the time of the selectionthe first user is not physically located proximate the first geographiclocation; displaying a user content information of the first user to thesecond user via the second mobile device in response to receiving theselection of the virtual object; and initiating a directperson-to-person communication between the first and second users inresponse to the selection.
 20. A method according to claim 19, whereinthe first user is not physically located proximate the first geographiclocation at the time of receiving from the first user the indication.